Amusement apparatus.



T. F. GILBRIDE. AIMIUSEMEIVLl APPARATUS. APPLIOATION- FILED JUNE 14, 1910.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

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TH: mmm: PETER.; co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

THOMAS F. GILBRIDE,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM I-I.

DIAMOND, 0F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

AMSEMENT APIARATS.

canoes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed June 14, 1910. Serial No. 566,762.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Gutmann, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, in the borough of Brooklyn and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus, the object of which is to produce a simple and attractive form of apparatus for the amusement of persons either indoor or out of doors, and which is particularly designed to test the ability of the performer to maintain his equilibrium while traversing an unstable elevated support.

The apparatus constituting my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view thereof; Fig. 2 is a crosssection on line X-X of Fig. l; and Figs. 3 and 4; are cross-sections of modified forms of my invention.

The apparatus comprises essentially two upright supports A-A, a horizontal shaft B, having its ends mounted in bearings at the upper ends of the supports respectively, and an elongated body C polygonal in crosssection, mounted on the shaft as an axis and extending approximately the entire distance between the two uprights. The elongated body C is preferably triangular in cross-section. Its three faces c-c being parallel to the axis and equidistant therefrom, and each face having parallel edges. At the ends or heads of the body C are fillers or spiders c through the center of which the shaft passes, and there may be one or more of such fillers or spiders inside of the body along its length to furnish additional suport and stiffness for the sides, if desired. Midway of the length of the body C is a circumferential flange D which should be of a depth say of about one-half of the diameter of the triangle. This flange projects laterally from each face of the body C and forms an obstruction intermediate of its ends. One or more of these obstructing fianges may be placed upon the body C, as desired. The shaft B may be mounted to turn in the supports A, in which case the body C should be fixed upon the shaft; or the shaft may be stationary and the body C arranged to turn freely upon it. In any case, the body C forms a freely rotating unstable support, the elevation of which above the ground or floor may be adjusted by placing the shaft in the different holes a in the supports.

The apparatus is to be used for amusement and profit in the following manner: The person or performer is given an opportunity to travel along the top of the body C from end to end without losing his equilibrium and being thrown to the ground. To do this a ladder or other means is provided to permit him to climb easily to the top of one of the supports. From this point he steps or kneels" on to the end of the body C and then pro ceeds by walking or creeping along the upper surface of .the body toward the opposite end, in the meantime passing over the obstruction or obstructions D. If the body C is mounted to turn freely as it should be, the passage from one end to the other of the performer will be found quite dii'licult and to require considerable skill. Those who suececd in accomplishing the feat may be awarded a prize which he may find placed within his reach when he arrives at the distant end of the body C, but most persons who attempt the feat will tip toward one side or the other and be thrown to the ground.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. An amusement apparatus comprising an elongated body having a cross-section of polygonal shape and mounted to rotate freely on a horizontal axis arranged parallel to its sides.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising an elongated body having a cross-section of polygonal shape and on a horizontal axis arranged parallel to its sides and provided with an obstruction extending laterally from its sides.

3. An amusement apparatus consisting of two upright supports in combination with a shaft having bearings in said supports, and an elongated body of polygonal cross-section mounted on said shaft and extending approximately from one support to the other, for the purpose set forth.

4i. An amusement apparatus comprising an elongated body of triangular cross-section rotatably mounted at an elevation upon a horizontal axis.

5. An amusement apparatus comprising an elongated body of triangularcross-section mounted at an elevation upon a horizontal axis7 and having a lateral projection from i each face located between the extremities thereof.

6. An amusement apparatus consisting of a pair of upright supports, a horizontal shaft extending between said supports, an elongated body carried by said shaft and having three longitudinal fiat faces arranged equidistant :t'rom the axis and a lateral ange extending across and projecting from each l face, said flanges being joined end to end and forming a continuous circumferential flange around said body at a point between its extremities.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. GILBRIDE. j lVitnesses:

lVALDo M. CHAPIN, VILLIAM C. LACY. 

